


Insanity's Family

by Elri (angelrider13)



Series: Insanity [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Batfamily being the Batfamily, But That's Not the Point, Gen, Insanity, Lots of it, Mental Instability, Nemo!fic, also because I love Nemo, because what are Bats without angst, because yay, characters introduced over time, meaning Angst, my OC not the fish, though I do love that Nemo too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-06
Updated: 2013-04-09
Packaged: 2017-12-07 16:14:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/750452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelrider13/pseuds/Elri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Those in Gotham are known for their loose grip on sanity. The Bats are no exception.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jason's Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Second in my Insanity series. Its not really connected to the first one; this is basically just where I am putting all the fics with Nemo in them. Easier to find that way.
> 
> Anywho, this one is all about Nemo's relationship with our favorite Gothamites. 
> 
> It has absolutely nothing to do with the New52 so don't expect anything from there here. Because I dislike the New52. Greatly.

Jason Todd was pissed.

A constant state for him, but tonight, his was more pissed than normal.

The night wasn't even half over and he had already stopped thirty-five muggings, sixteen would-be-rapists, nine attempted murders, and broken up six drug rings that had taken to dealing to kids. He had already been beaten, battered, bruised, shot and cut.

So now, Gotham had a sore, bleeding, pissed off Jason Todd on her hands. Never a good thing if you think about it.

Jason wanted nothing more than to head back to his crappy apartment in Crime Alley and crash. But he had to finish his patrol. If he had learned anything while under the Bat, it was to never half-ass anything. That and Bats were creatures of the night and therefore only needed three hours of sleep to function for an entire week.

Still.

To put it mildly, when Jason jumped down into the alley below him to stop rape attempt number seventeen, he decided that it would just be easier to kill everyone in the damn city. He made quick work of the thugs before turning to actually look at the damsel in distress. The girl hadn't even screamed.

To say he was surprised by what he saw would be an understatement.

* * *

Rachel walked through the streets of Gotham bare foot.

She never did like shoes very much, in fact she went without them whenever she could. Which was pretty much whenever no one was there to make her put them on.

She had been walking for hours, and it showed. Her feet were cracked and bleeding, but she didn't notice, her mind elsewhere. Her clouded hazel eyes kept to the roof tops, something criminals would do if they had any remote intelligence.

Really, she wasn't even supposed to be in Gotham. The Bat and the Bird feared what this place would do to her mind if she ever came back. But the Bat was gone, not dead, but on a different plane of existence. The loss still hurt though. It was the first time that she had existed without him and it left a hole in her. But she knew the Red Bird would find him, his faith in the Bat was unwavering and true. The Bird (the first one) had taken the mantel of the Bat. She knew he would not be pleased if he found her here.

But this was her home, and despite how unstable it made her, she wanted to stay. Her home was here, her family was here. This was where the Bat and the Bird lived, this is the place they protected, so this is where she wanted to stay.

She snuck away to Gotham often and she had yet to be caught (It's pretty easy to get away when you know what everyone is thinking.) but she knew it was only a matter of time. After all, you can only hide something from a Bat for so long.

But she came here for a reason.

She turned into an alley, knowing that what she sought was hiding within it. But it was not alone. Two men stepped out and sneered at her, their eyes dark with lust. She knew what they wanted from her, what they planned to do. But she met the gaze unflinchingly, her expression blank.

"Well well well, what have we here?" the first one said as he started circling her. "Little late to be out on your own, ain't it?"

"Nemo is never alone, no matter how much she may wish it," she said, her unfocused eyes remaining locked in front of her.

The second man raised an eyebrow. "Nemo, huh? You got a fancy we of talkin' there, sweetheart." He reached out and took a hold of her chin, dragging her eyes up to meet his. "You're a pretty little thing; hate to see something happen to you. Why don't you let us take care of you?"

She knew, more than felt, that the first man was going to come up behind her and place his hands on her hips, pressing up against her. She knew what they were thinking, she could see it, hear it, smell it, taste it, touch it. She had felt what people like them had done before. She had been both them and their victims. She had felt the sinful pleasure as well as the painful agony. And she did not take pleasure in any of it.

Still, she felt no fear. She knew everything, and she knew there was no reason for her to be afraid. So she let them hold her, let them take her in their minds. But she knew the Bat's ways, and the fate that awaited them was not what he would want.

"The Stray Bird stalks his pray. He strikes it down without mercy or thought. The act of shedding blood is second nature to him," she said, her empty eyes locked on those of the man in front of her, "Those who wish to harm Nemo will fall to his talons if they do not stop."

The men frowned and their touches became rougher.

"What the hell're you talking about?" the man behind her asked, his fingers digging into her hips hard enough to bruise. But Rachel didn't flinch, she never flinched.

"You threatenin' us?" the man in front of her asked.

"Nemo does not threaten. Nemo states only fact," she said calmly. "If the men in front of her wish to live, they should walk away while they can."

The man before her smirked darkly. "No can do sweetheart. We have plans for you."

"Then the men may wish to take Nemo in the next two minutes, because that is all the time they will have," she said it in a monotone, as if it didn't matter. Because really it didn't. She already knew what was going to happen. As soon as the Stray Bird saw her, it would be over. These men would be silenced.

And she was right. The men hadn't even gotten their lips on her before they were dead at her feet.

She saw the red helmet, the leather jacket, the gun in his hand. The Stray Bird.

She looked at the men that had been about to defile her with a sadness in her eyes. She could not hear them anymore. Their minds were silent. She never liked it when a mind was silenced, it left her empty. It was an unwelcome feeling.

Still, when she looked up to her savior, she nodded her thanks.

She had known what was going to happen and she had warned them. They chose not to listen. The Bat would be disappointed, she knew, but she had done the only thing she could. She knew that. She also knew that the man before her now was incredibly pissed, though the anger ebbed some when he laid eyes on her.

She smiled at him, catching him off guard.

It was nice. Meeting your brother in person.

* * *

Jason blinked, surprised, when the girl before him smiled.

He had just killed two people in front of her and here she was, _smiling_. Not only that, but she was bare foot and her feet were bleeding. Hadn't this girl ever heard of shoes? Jason quickly back tracked, taking in the girl's appearance. She was pretty average looking, long brown hair, hazel eyes. Her skin was extremely pale, like it didn't know what the sun was. She was wearing a baggy long-sleeve shirt and a pair of cargo pants. He couldn't be sure about her age, but he was guessing somewhere in the twenties. She looked like a child, but at the same time, she was an adult. She was probably older than him, but had no way of confirming that.

It was strange.

She was strange.

She started to walk past him and further into the alley. He grabbed her arm. She didn't jump at the contact like he expected her to; she merely turned to him patiently, as if she were a parent waiting for a child to speak up.

He frowned, trying to force back the anger that was still simmering underneath his skin before it spilled over. He wasn't going to hurt her. That would make him just as bad as the men he killed. And that was one level he wouldn't stoop to. "Where the hell are you going? Pretty sure where ever you live is that way," he said pointing out of the alley. "Unless you want to get mugged and raped."

The girl (Because that's what she was, regardless of her suspected age, a girl, not a woman.) turned to him. It was then that he noticed how unfocused her eyes were, like she was looking through him.

"Nemo came here for a reason," she said, gently pulling herself from his grip. He was surprised when he actually let her go.

"Yeah? And that would be what? Getting fucking raped?" he asked, his annoyance seeping into his voice. Why did he care so much? She was just another face, another number. But she wasn't. Jason couldn't place it, but something about this girl was different, and it wasn't just the way she spoke.

The girl, Nemo as she called herself, pointed to a box in the shadowed corner of the alley. Wordlessly, she walked toward it and Jason found himself following her, his feet moving before he could tell them to stop. She pulled the box aside, revealing a cat and a litter of kittens that couldn't be more than a few weeks old. But something wasn't right. Jason frowned when the smell wafted through the filters of his mask. They were dead.

"You're kidding," he deadpanned. "You came out here for a bunch of dead cats?"

"No," she said, shaking her head as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She reached over and gently scooped up one of the kittens. To his surprise, it squirmed, startled, in her grasp, letting out a pathetically weak meow. "Nemo came for the Kitten."

"You have got to be fucking kidding," he said. What the hell was with this girl? She was out walking around _alone_ , at _night_ , with no form of protection or even fucking _shoes_ for a fucking _cat_?

Nemo looked up at him pointedly. "The Kitten's family has died. Would you leave him to fend for himself? Would you deny him a chance for a better life?"

Jason hesitated, his eyes narrowing. He got the feeling they weren't just talking about the cat any more. But she didn't wait for his answer. Instead, she sat on the ground, Indian style, cradling the kitten in her lap. She reached into one of the many pockets in her cargo pants and pulled out a small, glass bottle filled with milk. The glass was wet with condensation, the milk was still fresh. He watched as she opened the bottle and dipped her pinky finger into the white liquid. She frowned and mumbled something about being too cold before picking up the bottle and taking a small sip. She held it in her mouth for a moment before spiting it out into the cap. Then she dipped her little finger in it, getting it completely soaked in the liquid, and brought it to the weak feline's mouth. The kitten twitched and began licking her finger, lapping up any and all of the milk it could get its tongue on. The process was repeated until the kitten seemed satisfied and fell asleep.

It wasn't until she looked up that he realized he had stayed, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, watching her work.

"The Stray Bird is curious," she said, tucking the glass bottle away again.

Jason blinked. Stray bird? Was she talking about him? Did she know…? His eyes narrowed.

Nemo sighed. "If the Stray Bird is suspicious, all he has to do is ask."

An eyebrow rose behind the mask. "Stray bird?"

She nodded. "He has strayed from the Bats ideals, broken ties with the family. He is the black sheep, the stray bird of the flock."

Jason paused, staring at her, momentarily stunned. She knew of his connection to the Bat. Snapping himself free of his shock, he leveled his pistol at her head. "Who are you?" he ground out.

"Nemo is Nameless, Nameless is Nemo. Rachel is Nemo, so Rachel is Nameless," she answered calmly.

"Rachel, huh?" he sneered, he couldn't help it. His anger was bubbling over and he was slipping deeper and deeper into his Red Hood persona. "And just how is it you know so much about me?"

Rachel frowned. "Nemo knows everything, feels everything. She is everything, everyone," She paused, her unfocused eyes clouding over, becoming glassy as if she was remembering something from long ago. "She died with the Stray Bird. She was with him when it happened. She was there when he came back." Her eyes suddenly cleared and she looked directly at him. "It hurt. When Nemo's brother died."

Jason didn't know what he was expecting but it wasn't that. His finger was inching ever closer to the trigger, ready to fire the deadly shot. Until that word fell from her lips. Brother. It made him pause.

Suddenly, she turned away from him and frowned, a worried crease forming on her forehead. "The Bat comes. He knows Nemo is here. How did he find out? Nemo was so careful. Oh. It was the Kryptonian. That is cheating," she said, more to herself that him, a pout forming on her lips.

Jason though she looked kind of cute like that.

He immediately killed that thought. Repeatedly.

Rachel stood, ignoring the fact that his gun was still trained on her, the kitten cradled in the crook of her arm. "The Stray Bird should fly before the Bat arrives."

Jason scoffed. "You think I need to run?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "The Stray Bird is cocky and arrogant to think he can take on the Bat, the first Bird as he is now. Because there will be a fight if the two meet."

He thought she sounded almost…sad about that, but the blow to his pride overrode his miniscule empathy. "You don't think I can take him?" he bristled.

"Nemo knows his body better than the Stray Bird does. He is close to failing. He needs rest, he is wounded. He can wait to beat up his older brother until he is better."

"He is NOT my brother," Jason snapped.

Rachel frowned. His response displeased her, he could tell. Hurt flashed in her eyes as well as conflict, like she was fighting with herself. Finally, she settled on glaring at him. "He will ALWAYS be the Stray Bird's brother."

Before he could respond, she had her free arm wrapped around him and her lips pressed to his cheek through his mask. She pulled away before he could react, a stern smile on her lips.

"Bats are stubborn creatures," she mumbled with a sigh, "It must be a family trait." Jason blinked as she began to walk away. "The Bat will be here soon. Nemo shall tell him the Stray Bird said hello."

And then she was gone.

Leaving behind a no longer pissed, but very confused, Jason Todd.


	2. Richard's Lecture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nemo has a run in with the new Bat in Gotham. Takes place immediately following Jason's Encounter.

Richard Grayson, the last of the famous Flying Graysons, ward of the late Bruce Wayne, former Robin, former Nightwing, was the current Batman.

It was not a role he chose. He had been forced into it out of necessity. With Bruce gone, someone needed to take up the mantle, or run the risk of Gotham's madness spilling into the world around her after it tore her down. Initially, he shied away from the role; he knew that Bruce had groomed him for it. But the responsibility that came with the cowl was great, one that few could bear even half as well as Bruce had.

But he was learning. And it wasn't as hard has he had imagined to slip into this role. Once he had taken the cowl, he refused to back down. He would live up to Bruce's legacy. But he would not let it consume him, that he swore to himself. He would take the cowl off, not just literally, but figuratively as well. That was something Bruce had always struggled with. But he wouldn't. He would shed the shadows for his family, for Damian and Tim and Alfred, because they needed _him_ , Richard Grayson, not the Bat.

He would shed the shadows for _her_ too.

She was his family just as much as the others were, if not more. She was his family, his sister, his daughter. For all she was five years older than him, he had raised her. He was the one that showed her the world outside of the darkness, the cruelty, the pain that was imprisoned in Arkham, her home for eight long years.

So when he got a call from Superman telling him that she wasn't in the Fortress, he panicked. But then the Bat inside of him kicked in. He had sent Damian on a separate patrol, surprising him (He had refused the boy every time he had asked before that), but Dick did not need his questions right now. He needed to find her before something happened.

He knew that she was aware he was looking for her. He knew she would guide him to her position. But he was taking no chances.

He would not relax until he was standing next to her.

* * *

When he found her, she was standing in the entrance of an alleyway. He dropped down next to her silently. He was torn between wrapping her up in his arms and yelling at her. But he was wearing the cowl right now, and Batman was not allowed to show such concern. So he stood by her silently, taking in her appearance. She looked fine except for her feet.

Dick winced mentally when he saw the blood. He would need to treat those, quickly, before they became infected. How long had she been on the streets with her feet like that? He resisted the urge to sigh. Batman didn't sigh.

She looked up at him and smiled sheepishly. "Hello," she said.

He frowned. "What are you doing here?" he asked in his Batman voice.

Wordlessly, she held out a ball of fluff to him. It took him a moment to realize it was a kitten; it was so small and its fur was so filthy that it was hard to tell. It looked like it still needed to feed from its mother, it was so tiny that she could hold it in one hand.

"Rachel," he said slowly, "You came to Gotham for a kitten?"

She pulled the small creature back to her chest and lightly ran her finger nails over its head. "His family is gone. He does not deserve to be alone. He is so new to this world, he should not have to leave it so quickly," she paused, frowning, "He…was the only one Nemo could save." Her eyes were glassy, wet.

Dick placed a hand on her shoulder. "You tried," he said.

She leaned into his touch, looking up at him and giving him a watery smile. She blinked as if remembering something. "Oh. The Stray Bird says hello. He wanted to fight the Bir-Bat," she stumbled, correcting herself. He knew Bruce would always be "The Bat" to her, just as he would always be "The Bird." That's just how she was. His hand tightened on her shoulder at the mention of the stray, knowing who she was referring to. "But Nemo made him go home. He was injured and tired." She cocked her head to the side and smirked. "He was offended. He is rather stubborn. Nemo thinks it is a family trait."

Dick knew that Rachel thought of anyone that Bruce had taken under his wing as family, including, but not limited to, the Robins that came after him. He knew she saw Bruce as a father, knew she saw Alfred as a grandfather, knew she saw him as an older brother, knew that Jason and Tim and Damian were her younger brothers. He knew she thought of Barbara and Cass and Stephanie as her sisters. Even if none of them had ever met her. Only he, Bruce, and Alfred knew of her existence, but that didn't stop her from thinking of them as family. He knew she paid special attention to them, knew that they were the most important thing to her.

Still, he needed to ask.

"He didn't do anything to you," it was a statement more than a question.

She shook her head and he noticed the sadness cross her face. "He saved Nemo," she said turning back to look down the alley. It was then that Dick saw the two bodies on the ground. "They were going to…rape Nemo, so he killed them. Nemo tried to warn them, but they did not listen." She looked so incredibly broken at that moment. Dick knew she had seen what they wanted to do to her. Silently, he scooped her up into his arms, calling the Batmobile. "The Bat would be disappointed in Nemo," she said softly. He knew she wasn't talking about him.

"He would be happier that you were safe," he said.

Rachel stayed silent, curling into him. When the Batmobile arrived, he placed her in the passenger seat. They drove back to the cave in silence.

When they arrived, Dick pulled down the cowl, shedding the Batman persona. As he lifted Rachel out of the car, he crushed her to him.

"Don't EVER do that again," he said into her hair.

"Sorry." She giggled. "The Bird is crushing the Kitten."

Dick loosened his hold on her as he carried her to a medical table. "Shut up," he said teasingly, "If the little guy is going to be part of the family, he's going to have to get used to hugs."

Her eyes lit up as he set her down. "Nemo can keep the Kitten?"

Dick laughed. "You'll have to convince Alfred," he said as he started treating her feet.

"Okay."

That was it. No more jokes or laughs. He looked and saw her eyes flitting around the cave. Right…the last time she had been here Bruce was Batman and he was still Robin. They hadn't let her come back here since. They had been scared of what it could do to her mental stability.

Rachel's hands absently pet the bundle of fur in her lap. "Nemo…wants to stay here," her voice was soft, timid.

Dick paused and looked up at her. He silently finished wrapping her feet and put the medial supplies away. He stood in front of her, arms crossed over his chest. "You know why Bruce and I don't want you to," he said gently.

She nodded. "But Nemo can still hear them, even if she is on the other side of the world."

He sighed. "Rachel…"

"Just let Nemo try!" she exclaimed, startling him. "Just let Nemo try," she said again, softer this time. "Nemo wants to be with her family." She held his eyes and he saw the desire, the longing, burning in her hazel orbs. "Let her be with people she loves." She took a deep breath, a look of fierce concentration on her face. "Please, Richard." The last word was forced and he could tell she was struggling to get it out, but she did.

Immediately, he unclasped his cape and threw it over her shoulders, pulling her close. Names were hard for her. For the longest time, she didn't have one. Not until he had given her one when she was thirteen and he was eight.

"Okay," he whispered into her hair and he felt her relax against him. "Okay."

They stayed like that for a while. He realized she was shaking and he felt something wet against his neck. She was crying. He rocked her back and forth, humming an old lullaby his mother used to sing to him. When was the last time he had held her? When was the last time he had seen her? He hadn't had time to visit her in months. Not with his new responsibilities as Batman and his obligation to Damian. Guilt gnawed at his insides and he held her that much tighter. She missed them, she was lonely. Sure she lived at Superman's Fortress, but the Man of Steel wasn't there all the time. He also wasn't family.

 _I'm sorry_ , he thought.

_The Bird let Nemo stay. He has nothing to be sorry for._

He was surprised by the joy he heard in her voice. So much so that he pulled back to look at her. There were tears running down her cheeks, but she was smiling. Dick reached up and wiped the wetness from her face.

"Can…can Nemo see him?" she asked shyly as she leaned into his touch.

He gave her a small smile. "Sure."

He picked her up and walked over to the memorials. Next to Jason's Robin suit was what remained of Bruce's cape and cowl. She reached out and touched the glass. Dick pressed his face into her hair.

"He would be so proud of you, sis," he whispered.

"Nemo misses him."

He was silent, letting her look at the memorial in peace. They were interrupted by a soft mew coming from the ball of fur resting on Rachel's stomach. She giggled and Dick smiled.

"Looks like someone is finally up," he said. He paused. "You know, we really should give him a bath."

"The Kitten is very dirty," she agreed, running a hand over his small back regardless of the filth. "Can Nemo stay?" she asked, looking up at him.

He smiled and gently placed her on the ground in front of Bruce's memorial, adjusting his cape, so that it settled comfortably around her shoulders like a blanket. She handed him the kitten, who protested, but calmed quickly after a few soft scratches behind the ears and under the chin.

"I'll be right back, Rachel," he said.

"Okay."

She turned back to the glass case, delicately pressing her hand to it again.

 _Hello_ , she thought to his distant mind, _Nemo misses The Bat. But she is home now and she will wait for him…Father._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. Met Jason, got picked up by Big Bro. All's well that ends well. We should have Alfred make tea.


	3. Damian's Burden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damian is a little shit. But he's Damian, so we'll forgive him. Also, cute fluffy kitten.

Damian was satisfied when he walked back into the cave.

Grayson had finally allowed him to patrol on his own. He had adhered to his father's rules, though he may have been a little rougher than necessary on a few thugs, but no one would mind. He knew that something else had been on Grayson's mind when they split up patrols that night. He was constantly pausing, staring off into space with this intense look on his face. He was worried, that much Damian could tell. But it was no skin off his back if his mentor failed to preform adequately (the chances of that happening were so slim, that Damian was well within his rights to lack concern). It was probably just some new lead on a case he had been working on; after all, they both had cases that only they followed.

So when Grayson was no where to be found when he entered the cave, he wasn't really surprised.

He was surprised, however, when he made his way over to the main computer and found a girl sitting in front of the memorials to his father and Todd.

She had a hand pressed to the glass of the case that held his father's cowl and a black cloth that looked suspiciously like Grayson's cape draped over her shoulders.

His eyes narrowed as he quickly slipped into the shadows, keeping out of sight as he approached this intruder. How did she get in the cave? Why hadn't Pennyworth notified him? Where was Pennyworth? And why did this girl have Grayson's cape? There was no way she could have snuck up on him and taken it if she hadn't even detected his presence yet.

As he got closer, he noticed that her eyes were unfocused, her expression distant. He scoffed mentally, what kind of fool would let their guard down so openly in enemy territory? Silently, he slipped behind her. Just as he pressed the cool edge of his sword to her throat she turned to him.

She stared at him for a moment, expression blank, before a grin split her lips. "Hello," she said, her hand still pressed to the glass.

Damian's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He growled.

"Nemo is no one and she is everyone," she stated matter-of-factly, unfazed by the deadly weapon at her neck. Her smile turned sad as she turned back the case. "Nemo is speaking to the Bat. She misses him."

Damian's grip tightened on his sword. "How do you know Father?"

She shrugged, not looking at him. "Nemo knows everyone. It's not her choice. She has known about the Baby Bird the moment he was conceived. She didn't tell the Bat though. The Baby Bird's mother didn't want him to know, so Nemo kept silent." She pressed her lips, her brow creasing in something that looked like regret. "Nemo is sorry for that," she said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Damian growled, "Father didn't learn of my existence until I was ten. Not even the entire League of Assassins knew of me. How could you possibly have known something Father did not? I know that Mother didn't tell you."

Nemo nodded, agreeing. "True," she said. She brought up a hand and casually tugged the blade away from her throat, as if it were only a minor annoyance. "But she did not need to tell Nemo because the Baby Bird is a living, breathing entity. Such a thing cannot be kept hidden." Damian refused to let her pull the sword away from her throat and kept it firmly in place. "The sword is making it hard to speak," she said, whining.

"Deal with it," Damian hissed. He wasn't getting anything useful from this girl. She was just babbling nonsense!

Nemo frowned and turned to look at him. "It is not nonsense," she said.

Damian blinked, caught off guard. How did she…?

She sighed and reached up, her hand closing around his wrist, tugging him down with surprising strength. "Sit," she said as he plopped to the ground next to her, "Let Nemo be with her littlest brother."

Damian froze, giving the girl the opportunity to drape the cape over his shoulders so that they were both huddled under it. She threw him a simple smile and turned back to the glass case in front of her while Damian processed what she said. Brother? Then she was…

"You are Father's daughter?" he asked, shocked and slightly put off. He was supposed to be Bruce Wayne's only child, only heir. It was bad enough that Grayson was the one currently holding the mantel and that he had to compete with Drake and that Todd was always somewhere running amuck. Now there was someone else that would try to take his place? Why wasn't he good enough? Why couldn't anyone see _him_? Damian fought the urge to react physically and show just how much this bothered him.

Nemo nudged him with her shoulder, causing him to whip around and glare at her. "Nemo is not part of the legacy," she said, smiling reassuringly, "The Bat just took care of her. He fixed her. She was broken before." She looked up into the empty eyes of the torn cowl. "But then he sent her away because it was too dangerous here. She never wanted to leave."

"Tt," Damian scoffed, "So you're just another charity case that Father took in. Typical."

"Did the Baby Bird want Nemo to be biologically related to him?" she asked, her tone holding nothing but pure curiosity.

Damian stopped. Was she really that threatening to him? Why did the thought of her being part of the family bother him so much? It was then that he realized that nothing was holding him in place, yet he remained under the cape. Strange.

"Of course not," Damian said with confidence he didn't feel, "Batman only needs one child."

Mentally, he winced at his words. He could picture the hurt expression on Grayson's face had he been the one he was talking to. Instead, Nemo just gave him a sad smile, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.

"The Bat loves the Baby Bird because he is his. He will always be his. It makes him special," she said softly, "Even if he doesn't show it, the Bat loves him."

"Tt. You speak as if Father is still alive. You sound just like Drake," Damian said, secretly happy to be able to turn the conversation away from his insecurities.

Nemo sent him a level look, hazel eyes boring into him, looking through him. He suddenly felt as if he was an open book and she was reading him, but it vanished as a smirk crossed her lips. "Who said the Bat was dead?" she said, her eyes twinkling playfully.

"We buried his body," Damian deadpanned.

Nemo just hummed. "So stubborn," she sighed, "Definitely a family thing."

Damian glared at her, but before he could say anything, Dick walked in dressed in a plain t-shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants.

"Damian, you're back," he said, slightly surprised.

Damian rolled his eyes. "Obviously."

Nemo turned to Dick, and excited look in her eyes. "Kitten?" she asked.

Dick smiled and held out a ball of light gray fluff to the girl. "All nice and clean," he said.

She gingerly took the small bundle and ran her fingers through the now clean fur. Upon closer inspection, Damian could make out a pair of bright green eyes, a small nose, a tiny mouth, and little ears. Nemo giggled as the small creature nuzzled her fingers.

"So, Dami," Dick said, using the nickname that Damian hated and secretly loved in equal parts, "I see you've met Rachel."

"Rachel?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "I thought her name was Nemo."

Dick shook his head. "That's just something she calls herself," he turned to Rachel, "Speaking of names, what are you gonna call the little guy?"

Rachel stopped and looked up at him, her lips turning into a slight frown. "Name?" she said slowly, carefully, as if the word could burn her. She pressed her lips in concentration before turning a hopeful face to Dick. "The Bird can name him," she said firmly.

Dick blinked. "You want me to name him?"

Rachel nodded, suddenly shy. "The Bird named Rachel. He is good at naming."

"Okay," Dick said, smiling.

Damian was only half listening to their conversation. The kitten had started pawing at the sleeve of his uniform and was getting ready to tumble out of Rachel's hands. Quickly, he brought his hands up, cupping them around hers. The action brought the pair's attention to him and he fought back the heat that rushed to his cheeks.

"It was going to fall," he mumbled.

Rachel gave a soft laugh. "The Kitten appears to like flying," she smiled, "Just like the rest of the Flock."

Dick grinned. "I got it," he said, reaching down to pet the kitten's head, "We can call the little guy Wings."

Wings arched up into Dick's nimble fingers, purring. Rachel smiled. "Wings," she said softly, as if testing the name.

"She appears to like it," Damian drawled, pretending that he didn't notice the way Wings pawed at his hands, "Now tell me Grayson, why are we naming his thing?"

"Because we're keeping it," was the matter-of-fact reply.

Damian blinked. "What?"

Rachel looked up at him. "Really?" she asked, sounding just like an excited child.

Dick nodded. "I talked to Alfred. He's also getting a room ready for you."

Rachel's eyes were practically glowing she was so happy.

"Wait," Damian said, turning to face his mentor, "She's staying with us?"

Dick leveled him with a look. "She has just as much right to be here as you do Damian."

"That's not what I—"

"Besides," Dick said, continuing as if he hadn't spoken, "You two seem to be getting along well enough." He smirked.

Damian fought the heat that rose in his cheeks, but knew he was losing, his skin becoming a rosy pink. "Shut up," he said as he sank down into the cape and closer to Rachel's side, instead of storming out of the room.

Dick smiled, surprised. Rachel handed Damian Wings and the small kitten made itself at home in his lap. "Awwww," Dick cooed, "Look Dami, he likes you."

Damian scoffed. "Of course. He clearly realizes who is superior here."

Dick pouted. "No need to be mean, Dami."

Rachel laughed.

And Damian felt his lips twitch up into a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damian likes kitties. There shall be Damian and kitty interaction in the future. Because seeing him with animals is one of the most adorable things on the planet.


End file.
